Who Is Jorge Rueda Landeros & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile
Jorge Rueda Landeros became the central figure in the investigation into the 2010 killing of American University accounting professor Sue Ann Marcum. For more than a decade, authorities searched for him after identifying him as a suspect in the case, a pursuit that eventually led investigators to Mexico and back to a Maryland courtroom.
His connection to Marcum, the financial relationship between them, and the forensic evidence presented in court formed the core of the prosecution’s case. After years of investigation and an international search, Landeros was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to prison.
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Contents
Early Life And Work In The Washington Area
Jorge Rueda Landeros was born in Mexico and later became a dual citizen of Mexico and the United States, according to authorities. He lived in the Washington, D.C. area during the mid-2000s and worked as a Spanish language and yoga instructor.
During this time, he met Sue Ann Marcum. Investigators said the two became acquainted around 2005, when Marcum began taking Spanish lessons and participating in yoga instruction. Over time, the relationship expanded beyond classes and developed into a personal connection.
Relationship With Sue Ann Marcum
According to investigators and prosecutors, Marcum and Landeros were involved in a romantic relationship at one point. Authorities said the relationship later deteriorated and became complicated by financial issues.
Prosecutors stated that Marcum gave Landeros significant amounts of money to invest. Court accounts indicated that more than $300,000 of Marcum’s money had been lost. Investigators said the financial strain placed pressure on Marcum as she attempted to manage debts and obligations.
Documents discovered during the investigation also revealed that Marcum had listed Landeros as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy, while she was named as the beneficiary on a policy connected to him. These details became part of the broader examination of their relationship during the investigation.
Becoming A Suspect In The 2010 Murder Investigation
Sue Ann Marcum was found dead in her Bethesda, Maryland home on October 25, 2010. Investigators initially encountered a scene that appeared to indicate a burglary, with rooms ransacked and a screen cut at the back of the house.
As the investigation progressed, detectives gathered forensic evidence that pointed toward Landeros. Prosecutors later said his DNA was found on Marcum’s fingernails and on a tequila bottle that authorities said was used during the attack. According to prosecutors, Marcum fought her attacker before she died.
An arrest warrant was issued in 2011 after investigators identified Landeros as a suspect. By that time, authorities determined that he had left the United States.
Living Under An Alias In Mexico
Following the murder investigation, authorities said Landeros traveled to Mexico, where he remained for years while investigators attempted to locate him. During that time, the case remained open as detectives continued searching for information about his whereabouts.
More than a decade later, investigators identified an online trail that led them to a man using the name Leon Ferrara in Guadalajara. Authorities concluded that Ferrara was actually Jorge Rueda Landeros living under an alias.
On December 13, 2022, Mexican authorities arrested him while he was walking his dogs. He was later extradited to the United States to face murder charges in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Trial, Conviction, And Sentence
After his return to the United States, Landeros was charged with first-degree and second-degree murder in connection with Sue Marcum’s death. He pleaded not guilty, and his defense argued that Marcum’s death may have been connected to a burglary rather than an attack by him.
In October 2025, a jury found Landeros not guilty of first-degree murder but guilty of second-degree murder. The verdict established that jurors concluded he was responsible for Marcum’s death but did not find proof of premeditation required for the higher charge.
Where Jorge Rueda Landeros Is Now
In March 2026, Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Rachel McGuckian sentenced Jorge Rueda Landeros to 25 years in prison for second-degree murder. Maryland law allows a maximum sentence of 30 years for that offense.
The sentence included credit for time already served while he awaited trial. At the sentencing hearing, defense attorneys indicated that an appeal was planned. As of 2026, Landeros remains in custody serving his sentence within the Maryland prison system.
